The Golem Mage

730: The Legendary Fox.

730: The Legendary Fox.

Gordons’ Inner Compound

As the city lord reached the gates of the inner yard, he was momentarily delayed before a mage from the Gordons clan arrived to escort him inside, the mage led him to an open room where the Grand Elder was already seated, with a sly smile on his face.

“And here I was, thinking my old friend would be the one entertaining me, after years of him inviting me to his home, I finally decided to visit!” the city lord said with a teasing tone as he took the seat opposite the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder chuckled politely but replied with an edge,

“To be honest, even you must realize that negotiating with me is far better than dealing with my brother directly.” His tone was courteous, yet the underlying warning was unmistakable, a reminder of where the city lord currently stood with the Gordons clan.

The Grand Elder’s words drew a hearty laugh from the city lord, who quickly regained his composure and locked eyes with him.

“You’re absolutely right, speaking with a reasonable man like yourself certainly makes things easier,” the city lord admitted.

“Then let’s not waste each other’s time, what brings the great city lord to our humble grounds?

What is it you seek from the Gordons clan?” the Grand Elder said, his words layered with subtle jabs.

But the city lord didn’t flinch at the Grand Elder’s tone, after all, he was the one seeking help.

“I want the Gordons clan to assist in the upcoming Blood Moon War, and I’m also requesting that you retract the one-month holiday you’ve scheduled this month, in return, your next exemption from Blood Moon duties will be extended.” He stated plainly.

While he was saying all this the Grand Elder just raised the teacup before him, gently blowing on it as the steam swirled in the air, taking a measured sip, as he closed his eyes briefly and savoured the drink’s flavour, as though unfazed by the weight of the conversation.

“And what exactly would we gain from this?” the Grand Elder asked in a calm, measured tone.

“It’s not as though we enjoy giving up our exemption from a war just to risk the lives of our clansmen.” His words, though soft, cut sharply, exposing the gaps in the city lord’s request, clearly he had no intention of wasting time with pleasantries when the stakes were so high.

“Let me be blunt,” the city lord responded.

“If the Gordons clan doesn’t assist in the upcoming war, the city stands to lose far more than you can imagine, if it were any other race from the Second Dimension, your clan might not feel the impact as much.”

“ But we’re dealing with zombies here.

If even a fraction of that undead horde breaches the city, the manpower required to contain them will be devastating.

You know this better than anyone, this is a threat we must face together.”

“Hmmm,” the Grand Elder mused, his face unreadable.

“Very well, the Gordons clan will send two High Rank mages to assist, however, you’ll need to compensate us for this inconvenience, as we had already planned to rest and recuperate during this period.”

The faint smile playing on the Grand Elder’s lips showed why he was nicknamed the “Gordons Fox.” Even in dire circumstances, he managed to maneuver for a profit at the city lord’s expense.

“Are you trying to act like a mercenary group now?” the city lord asked, irritation creeping into his tone.

“Not at all,” the Grand Elder replied smoothly.

“I’m merely requesting fair compensation for those who’ll be thrust into a battle they weren’t prepared for.

Surely, you don’t think that’s unreasonable?”

His argument, delivered with quiet confidence, left the city lord visibly frustrated, when he’d decided to deal with the Grand Elder instead of the patriarch, he’d hoped for a smoother negotiation.

But he had underestimated Garrick Gordons, while George Gordons, the clan patriarch, might be a lunatic when pissed he still is a straightforward and unyielding man, Garrick on the other hand is a master manipulator, a shrewd negotiator who exploited every weakness with precision.

“Alright, I agree to pay, but what fee would satisfy your clan enough to participate?” the city lord asked through gritted teeth.

He loathed having to ask such a cunning man like Garrick for terms, but his hands were tied, he needed to ensure that whatever outrageous demands the Grand Elder made, he could meet them.

“Oh, I hadn’t considered that before, after all, it’s not every day we receive such a distinguished visitor.

Let’s settle it like this, you’ll owe the Gordons clan a favour, and when we come to collect, you must honour it.” Garrick said, feigning surprise with a sly smile.

Causing the city lord to sneer inwardly at Garrick’s calculated response.

‘You didn’t expect me?

Nonsense.

I’d bet my title you predicted this long before I even considered coming here, you crafty fox.’ Despite his internal frustration, the city lord maintained a polite smile.

“A favour, you say?

That’s no small thing,” he replied, carefully weighing his words.

“If I’m to agree, let me add a clause to our arrangement, your clan must send mages ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 7, that’s the only way I’ll accept this deal.” He tried to turn the negotiation in his favour, aiming for a larger commitment from the Gordons clan.

“I’m sorry, but I—” the Grand Elder began, his tone hinting at rejection.

But before he could finish, a voice rang clearly in his mind.

“Accept it.”

And the Grand Elder’s demeanour shifted almost instantly.

“On second thought, I believe we have ourselves a deal,” he said with an amicable smile, shocking the city lord.

The abrupt change unsettled the city lord, who had been bracing for a drawn-out negotiation, he was certain Garrick had been about to reject his terms and counter with something more self-serving, this uncharacteristic concession left him on edge, but he couldn’t deny that his success in securing the Gordons clan’s support without significant losses for now was a nice feeing.

“If that’s all, I’ll be taking my leave,” the city lord said as he stood, adjusting his robes, the Grand Elder rose as well, accompanying him to the gate of the inner court.

Once there, the Grand Elder stopped, offering a polite but final nod, leaving the city lord to navigate through the worn and tattered outer court on his own.